CVI 



trust that the accurate knowledge obtained from these 

 investigations may direct legislation on this hitherto 

 very vexed and intricate question. 



In our last report we gave at length the article of Prof. 

 W. K. Brooks, whose services had been secured for these 

 biological investigations by the Commission, and we, al ( 

 through the courtes}^ of Mr. Carlisle P. Patterson, Super- 

 intendent of the Coast & Geodetic Survey, made copious 

 extracts from the report of Master Francis Winslow, as 

 to the physical conditions and surroundings of the oyster- 

 beds in Pokomoke and Tangier Sounds. 



The researches and discoveries of Dr. Brooks indicated 

 the possibility^ of resuscitating this important though 

 waning industry of the State ; but, unfortunately, Dr. 

 .Brooks was prevented from carrying his exjDeriments to 

 such a length as to determine the best methods of taking 

 advantage of the discovery of the possibilities of the ar- 

 tificial impregnation and production of the oyster. 



The development of our oyster has been clearly mark- 

 ed and delineated in the report up to a state when it 

 is a swimming animal and frequents the surface of the 

 water. Unfortunately Dr. Brooks was not able to ob- 

 serve the continued development later than the sixth 

 day, as the proper apparatus had not then been devised 

 for the necessities of this service. 



As this report contains some hints Avhich may prove of 

 much importance in the future, I take the liberty of 

 again calling attention to them. Dr. Brooks says : 



'' All my attempts to get later stages than these failed, 

 " through my inability to iind any way to change the 

 " water vrithout losing the young oyster, and I am there- 

 " fore unable to describe the manner in which the swim- 

 " ming embryo becomes converted into the adult, but I 

 *' hope that this gap will be filled, either by future 

 '' observations of my own or by those of some other em- 



bryologist. 



' ' In my attemjDt to raise the oyster embryo from the 



u 



